TEAM

Willie Smits: Founder and Chief Science Officer
Conceptual father of Tapergy, the zero-waste, people, planet, profit model; PhD in forestry at Wageningen Agricultural University (NL); 30-year experience in reforestation and agro-forestry; Special Advisor to the Minister of Forestry in Indonesia, did forestry work for the World Bank; President Director of SarVision Indonesia; knighted in The Netherlands; received various international awards for his conservation work.

 Willie Smits works at the intersection of humankind, the animal world and our planet. In his early forestry work, he saw Indonesian forests destroyed for palm oil and timber - forests that were sources of water and jobs for the local populace and natural habitats for the endangered orangutan. It was this experience that led him on a lifetime search for regenerative solutions for fuel and by-products.

Published in five languages and proficient in many more, Smits is in demand as a speaker at major events throughout the world, at universities (more than 27) such as Harvard and Cambridge, and most recently at the prestigious TED conference (www.ted.com) in Long Beach, California. Currently, there is a major motion picture in production about his life.

Willie and his wife Syennie, with whom he has three sons, live in the tropical mountain village of Tomohon, Sulawesi, Indonesia where Syennie serves as Vice Mayor and was chosen as tribal queen. It was here that Willie began R&D on the Sugar Palm, first recognizing that this species must have an exceptional value 25+ years ago -- that was when a traditional marriage still required six sugar palms as a dowry which arose Willie’s life long quest to study this palm.

Aubrey Balkind: Chief Executive Officer
Founder and CEO of Frankurt Balkind (NY, LA and San Francisco) sold in 2002 to Interpublic; Ernst & Young “Entrepreneur of the Year” award; winner of numerous int’l communication awards; mentor Columbia University’s MBA Entrepreneur-ship Program; Board of Eurica Media Center; Chairman, Bemis Balkind; advisor to Fortune 500 companies; MBA Columbia University.

Tomas Fiege Vos de Wael: Chief Financial Officer
Degree in German Law and Philosophy, Freiburg i.Br. University, Ass. Iur.; 16 years in the banking sector; Credit Risk Management head for Central and Eastern Europe (HVB); Board Member of HVB Jelzálogbank, Budapest; Managing Director Spain/Portugal (HVB); Managing Director Netherlands (Hypo International)‏.

Amory Block Lovins: Special Advisor
Chairman and Chief Scientist Rocky Mountain Institute; MacArthur Fellowship; World Technology Award; Right Livelihood Award ("Alternative Nobel Prize”); Time Hero for the Planet award; Benjamin Franklin and Happold Medals; Books, a/o Winning the Oil Endgame, Factor Four and Natural Capitalism

Herman Wijffels: Special Advisor
Leading politician for the Christian Democrats (CDA); Dutch representative World Bank; Executive Board of Rabobank Group; Chairman Dutch Social-Economic Council (SER); 2006-2007: ‘information’ to form the Dutch Cabinet